Gicheru, M. M.Ngonjo, Teresia Wambui2015-05-072015-05-072009http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/12595Department of Zoological Sciences, 107p. 2009, RJ 406 .G3N45Intestinal parasitic infections are amongst the most common human infections worldwide. It is estimated that some 3.5 billion people are affected, and that 450 million are ill as a result of these infections, the majority being children. These parasites remain a major health problem in many developing countries. The study set out to investigate the factors that influence intestinal parasitic infections and their effect on growth status of school going children. The study was conducted in four public primary schools namely, Athena (peri-urban), Kathambara (rural), Kianjau (slum) and St.Patrick (urban) aU in Thika district, Kenya. The stools were collected from children and examined for helminthiasis by kato-katz technique. Protozoa were examined using formol ether concentration method and fresh saline smears. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height of subjects were taken to determine the relationships of intestinal parasitic burden and degree of stunting, wasting and malnutrition. Information on family background of the study subjects was obtained through a standard pre-tested questionnaire. Chi square and one way Anova tests were used for comparing infection by sex, age, the risk factors of intestinal parasitic diseases and to compare mean heights and weights between children in the four schools. Prevalence of intestinal helminthes in children of peri-urban, rural, slum and urban schools were 38.9%, 48.9%, 48.9% and 31% respectively. Prevalence of intestinal protozoa of pupils in peri-urban, rural, slum and urban schools were 46.3%, 38.9%, 34.8% and 28.7% respectively. Ascaris lumbricoides infection was significantly higher in slum and rural than in peri-urban and urban schools (x,2=14.425, df=3, p<0.05). Hookworm infection was significantly higher in the rural and peri-urban schools than in urban and slum schools (r-15268, df=3, p<O.Ol). Entamoeba histolytica was significantly higher in rural and slum schools than in peri-urban and urban schools. (X~9.29, df=J, p<0.05). In the slum school, Ascaris lumbricoides infection was significantly associated with the failure to wash hands before meals (r=13.674, df=I, p<O.OI), type of toilet slab (xz=6.298, df=I, p<O.05), and toilet sharing (x.~5.84, df=I, p<-O.05). Tn the rural school, Ascaris lumbricoides infection was significantly associated with source of drinking water (r=8.902, df=3, p<O.05), and failure to wash hands after toilets (x,~7.191, df=I, p<0.05). In the rural school, Entamoeba histolytica infection was significantly associated with eating of tubers (X2:=18.37, df=l , p<O.OOl). Nutritional parameters were an significantly different in children of the four schools, stunting (low height for age), (x,2 =9.41, df=3, p<0.05); wasting (low weight fur height), (x,~19.47,df=3.p<0.001) and malnultrition (low weight for age) (r=11.97,df-=3, p<O.OOI). The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of intestinal parasites in. the study area is high. This could impact negatively on the intellectual, psychological and physical development of the school going children. The results will help in intensifying efforts towards achieving the global control efforts to reach 75% of children with intestinal parasites by year 2010. The results of this study WIll be used in designing of community specific control strategy in Thika district deworming programmesenThesis